This morning I finished Chapter 2 of the new book. Remarkably, it has an ending slightly similar to Chapter 1, though without the mushy-mushy part.

Right now, the plan is to have a number of characters solo in their first chapter; then come together and separate (or stay together) in subsequent chapters. The bot situation on Hercules III is a little different than the previous book, which has a lot to do with how they have an impact on human life.

One aspect of the new order is the difference between the human chronological/cognitive age and physical/emotional age. As it stands the new possible final physical age of death for humans is 200, but in chronological years that is 26,000,000. Why so much, you ask? Well, the bots finally figured out Hercules III is basically a cargo ship with humans being the cargo. Sure, they’re possibly going to new planets in the galaxy and maybe further into the universe, but they figured out it would be better if the humans lived chronologically longer so they would be able to populate new planets with sufficient older adults to run things from the outset.

Only, there is a small problem. While humans think they are free to pursue whatever vocation they want, there are limits to what the bots will actually allow. As the story moves forward those limits become more and more evident.

Chapter 3 is pretty well set. I know the protagonist, the place, and a lot of the other characters. Interestingly, six of the minor characters have rather interesting names that may or may not have a bearing on the chapter. Though, as I see it now, they will, in fact, be the main carriers of the narrative.

This is becoming a fun book, at least for me. Unfortunately, it definitely isn’t doing me any good in the sleeping department. Sure, writing gets the ol’ neurons to start connecting, again, but they don’t know when to turn off or they turn on at the most inopportune time, like four in the morning. Two and a half hours of sleep does not make a happy camper. Thankfully, I was able to get in seven and a half last night, but it was a restless night filled with dreams I’d rather not experience again; that may have been due to getting a nose full of Lysol disinfectant spray when I was trying to kill yesterday’s load of foot fungus.

I keep telling my son he needs to take me down to Monroe so I can get new shoes, but he keeps coming up with things to do on weekends. As I see it now, the earliest I’ll be able to toss out the old shoes is Saturday after next. This weekend we’re supposing getting the new front porch and ramp built.

My son has decided I’m too old for steps, since I did fall flat on my face on the 28th of September coming up to the front porch. I had too jugs of distilled water and do to the ol’ bipolar wasn’t paying the least bit of attention, falling on my face was the least of my problem. Just now, my wrists and hands are finally getting usable. I still have to use the braces when I go to the store and can’t do the dishes, but I am getting better.

Other news, life seems to be getting more and more boring. Not being able to drive anywhere decent (that bipolar thing, again) is definitely a downer. So I sit at the laptop typing and proofreading my stories and blog entries, read the few magazines we get and the books I order from Amazon (A Death in the Family now), and watch the tube when there’s something worth watching. I know I should be going outside and getting more exercise, but I just don’t seem to find the time and, now, with winter coming on, the rains will be even more discouraging. I can only hope for another warm, dry winter like last year.